I am Alejandra Sofía Zarza, a lawyer, lecturer, and researcher. My professional path has been linked to criminal law, criminology, and public policy on justice and security from a human rights perspective. My work focuses on promoting a paradigm shift toward restorative justice, centered on people and communities.
Education
- Lawyer, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA).
- Lecturer, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA).
- Diploma Program in Pedagogical Interventions in Contexts of Confinement, Universidad Nacional de San Martín.
- Master's Degree in Social Anthropology (thesis in progress), Universidad de Buenos Aires.
Professional Experience
- Legal practice: I practice as a licensed attorney. For 11 years I worked at the National Directorate of Criminal Policy on Justice and Criminal Legislation of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights.
- Teaching: in the Law degree program at the UBA Faculty of Law, the Master's Program in Criminology at Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, and the Law degree program at the University Institute of the Argentine Federal Police (IUPFA).
- Research and outreach projects: I was part of research teams in UBA's DeCyT Projects (2010-2014, 2018-2020) on education in contexts of confinement and punitive attitudes.
Philosophy and Approach
I believe restorative justice represents an essential paradigm shift, as it places people and communities at the center, promotes dialogue and shared responsibility, and opens the possibility of transforming conflict into an opportunity for relational and social growth.